NFC Players of the Week - Week 4

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NFC Players of the Week - Week 4

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SAINTS QB DREW BREES, PANTHERS CB JOSH NORMAN &

BEARS K ROBBIE GOULD NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 4

Quarterback DREW BREES of the New Orleans Saints, cornerback JOSH NORMAN of the Carolina Panthers and kicker ROBBIE GOULD of the Chicago Bears are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the fourth week of the 2015 season (October 1, 4-5), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: QB DREW BREES, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Brees completed 33 of 41 passes (80.5 percent) for 359 yards with two touchdowns – including the game-winner in overtime – and no interceptions for a 119.4 passer rating in the Saints' 26-20 win over Dallas.

On the second play of overtime, Brees connected with C.J. SPILLER for an 80-yard touchdown pass to win the game. At 13 seconds into OT, it marked the fastest overtime score in a regular-season game in NFL history.

The touchdown pass was the 400th of Brees' career as he joined PEYTON MANNING (536), BRETT FAVRE (508), Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (420) and TOM BRADY (401) as the only quarterbacks to reach the milestone in NFL history.

Brees (5,024) became the third player in NFL history – joining Favre (6,300) and Manning (6,025) – with 5,000 pass completions when he threw a three-yard touchdown pass to JOSH HILL in the first quarter. That score also extended his streak to 48 consecutive home games with a touchdown pass, passing Brady (47) for the longest such streak in NFL history.

In his 15th season from Purdue, this is Brees' 21st career Player of the Week Award.

Since joining the Saints in 2006, Brees has won 19 Player of the Week Awards, the most in franchise history. During that span, Brees' 19 Player of the Week Awards are the most in the NFL.

Brees is one of three players to win at least 20 Player of the Week Awards, joining Manning (27) and Brady (24).

DEFENSE: CB JOSH NORMAN, CAROLINA PANTHERS

Norman had two interceptions, including a 46-yard touchdown, three passes defensed and four tackles in the Panthers' 37-23 win at Tampa Bay.

His two interceptions (80 return yards) resulted in 14 points. Norman returned the first interception 46 yards for a touchdown and he returned his second interception 34 yards to Tampa Bay's 33-yard line to set up another TD.

He leads the NFL with four interceptions and is the only player in franchise history to record four interceptions in the first four games of a season. Norman's two interception-return touchdowns are the most in the NFL and he is the first cornerback with two INT-TDs in the first four games of a season since CHARLES WOODSON in 2008.

In his fourth year from Coastal Carolina, this is Norman's first career Player of the Week Award. He was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for September.

Norman is the fourth Panther to win Defensive Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Month Awards in the same season, joining SAM MILLS (1995), JULIUS PEPPERS (2006, 2008) and THOMAS DAVIS (2013).

SPECIAL TEAMS: K ROBBIE GOULD, CHICAGO BEARS

Gould scored 10 points and converted all three field-goal attempts, including the game-winning 49-yarder with two seconds remaining, in the Bears' 22-20 win over Oakland.

All three of Gould's field goals turned a Chicago deficit into a lead. He had two key fourth-quarter field goals – a 54-yarder to put the Bears up 19-17 and the game-winner from 49 yards out with two seconds remaining and Chicago trailing 20-19.

Gould now has 12 career game-winning field goals, including the postseason.

In his 11th season from Penn State, this is Gould's third career Player of the Week Award and first since 2006 (Week 16).

Gould's three Player of the Week Awards are tied for the most by a kicker in franchise history with PAULEDINGER and JEFF JAEGER.

2015 NFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offense

Defense

Special Teams

Wk 1

WR Julio Jones, Atlanta

DT Aaron Donald, St. Louis

PR-WR Tavon Austin, St. Louis

Wk 2

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona

LB Sean Lee, Dallas

KR-RB David Johnson, Arizona

Wk 3

QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay

S Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona

PR-RB Darren Sproles, Philadelphia

Wk 4

QB Drew Brees, New Orleans

CB Josh Norman, Carolina

K Robbie Gould, Chicago

Other nominees for NFC Offensive Player of Week 4 as submitted by NFC clubs:

St. Louis wide receiver TAVON AUSTIN, who had six catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams' 24-22 win at Arizona.

Washington quarterback KIRK COUSINS, who passed for 290 yards with one touchdown and rushed for one TD in the Redskins' 23-20 win over Philadelphia.

Chicago quarterback JAY CUTLER, who passed for 281 yards and two touchdowns.

Atlanta running back DEVONTA FREEMAN, who had 149 scrimmage yards (68 rushing, 81 receiving) and three touchdowns in the Falcons' 48-21 win over Houston.

Carolina wide receiver TED GINN JR., who had two touchdown catches.

St. Louis rookie running back TODD GURLEY, who rushed for 146 yards, including 106 in the fourth quarter.

New York Giants quarterback ELI MANNING, who threw three touchdown passes in the Giants' 24-10 win at Buffalo.

Other nominees for NFC Defensive Player of Week 4 as submitted by NFC clubs:

Washington defensive tackle CHRIS BAKER, who had two sacks and three tackles.

Seattle safety KAM CHANCELLOR, who had seven tackles and a forced fumble in the Seahawks' 13-10 win over Detroit.

Carolina linebacker THOMAS DAVIS, who had 11 tackles and an interception.

Carolina rookie defensive end RYAN DELAIRE, who had two sacks and five tackles in his NFL debut.

Green Bay linebacker CLAY MATTHEWS, who had a sack and two tackles in the Packers' 17-3 win at San Francisco.

Chicago linebacker PERNELL MC PHEE, who had an interception and eight tackles.

Green Bay linebacker NICK PERRY, who had two sacks.

Atlanta cornerback DESMOND TRUFANT, who had two fumble recoveries, including a 24-yard touchdown return, three passes defensed and two tackles.

New York Giants defensive end KERRY WYNN, who had eight tackles.

​Other nominees for NFC Special Teams Player of Week 4 as submitted by NFC clubs:

St. Louis punter JOHNNY HEKKER, who averaged 49.7 yards per punt with a net average of 45.1 yards.

Washington kicker DUSTIN HOPKINS, who converted all three field-goal attempts and two PATs.

Seattle punter JON RYAN, who averaged 48 yards per punt and placed three of his four punts inside the 20-yard line.

New York Giants punter BRAD WING, who averaged 44.4 yards per punt with a net average of 41.9 yards. ​